Bilateral agreements with the Universities of Razi (Kermanshah), Jiroft, Zahedan, Zabol and the National Museum of Iran
Cooperation with universities in the Islamic Republic of Iran, with which the Department of Cultural Heritage has research and teaching agreements signed in the recent past, are aimed at studying the main historical dynamics that involved the Iranian major archaeological sites dating to the entire Bronze Age. The universities chosen are, in fact, strategic because each of them has carried out and is carrying out field research in regions that are fundamental to fully understanding the causes and processes of the earliest forms of urban development in the Middle East. The Razi University of Kermanshah for its archaeological research in the areas of Luristan and along the entire Zagros Mountains ridge; Jiroft University for its multiple investigations along the Halil River Valley, whose discoveries revolutionized the archaeology of the Ancient Near East; the University of Sistan and Baluchistan of Zahedan for excavations in Iranian Baluchistan and the valuable information gathered on the interactive dynamics between the Indus River Valley and the Persian Gulf; the University of Zabol for studies and excavations at satellite sites of Shahr-i Sokhta, a center being excavated by the University of Salento since 2016 following agreements and permits issued by the Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (= ICAR). In more detail, each individual university will make available its data collected from the aforementioned surveys to enable integrated and multidisciplinary collection within a single database that can provide general historical answers to the processes of urban growth and development between the end of the 4th millennium BC and the first centuries of the 2nd millennium BC. The creation of this cooperation with the universities covered by the agreements is invaluable for the possibility of having a broader picture and especially for providing, for the first time, integrated answers to understanding the economical process involving the main sites lying to East of Tigris. At the same time, it will be started the cooperation with the most important museum of Iran (National Museum of Iran or NMI), with which Unisalento has signed a new Memorandum. Similarly, the role of the NMI will be very important in sharing the archaeological material kept with it and from the country’s major archaeological centers such as Susa, Tall-i Malyan, Konar Sandal, Shahdad, and Tepe Hissar, primarily.
With these Universities and the NMI and their high-quality level, the project will be able to explore the economical and societal transformations in Iran, Central Asia and the Indus valley from the end of 4th to the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC using a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approach to the Iranian archaeological researches. In this perspective the new researches be supported by archaeometric and laboratory analysis, including analyses of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen stable isotopes of plant, human and animal remains, strontium stable isotopes and DNA. Further bio-archaeological, anthropological, topographic and palaeo-environmental studies, and settlement researches will be evaluated together with the results of archaeological and geo-physical investigations to test new models for the emergence of complex societies in the Middle East, and Central and South Asia during the 3rd millennium BC. The massive amount of information already obtained from excavations, survey, bio-archaeological and archaeometric analysis in Shahr-i Sokhta will be combined with new data coming from the Universities, with which we have just signed new agreements and that are the subject of this Program, in order to build a pattern which can be applied to other early state formations of the ancient Near East. This project aims to explain the development and the successive crisis of all main river civilizations of Middle Asia during the Bronze Age period (ca. 3500-1800 BC) as a global process involving Oxus, Indus, Hilmand and Jiroft civilisations in one Integrated Cultural System (= ICS). Although different cultural spheres have to be identified among regions, this “intercultural period”, with its homogenous historical developments and process, will be studied primarily using the new evidence emerging from Shahr-i Sokhta, which represents a meeting-point of different cultural experiences, in which the manufacturing of art, social organization, economic development/crisis and commercial models are syncretized to various degrees.
Each individual university and the NMI will then provide the results of the excavation campaigns carried out in their regions by providing their expertise, knowledge and experience through the presence of the faculty members responsible for the research. They will be joined by students at various levels that can enable the creation of a team that, hosted at the University of Salento, can process the data and, likewise, have them interact with those of the other host universities. Similarly, the University of Salento will interact with the data of the universities with which it is collaborating by providing archaeological data from excavation campaigns carried out in the major center of eastern Iran (Shahr-iSokhta) directed by writer since 2016. In this perspective, this scientific network will be facilitated by student and staff mobility that will enable the sharing of experiences, methodologies, and data, enabling research and study in a shared way within a stimulating environment in a system composed by 5 universities and a national museum. The presence of already activated agreements will enable immediate activation of student and faculty mobility so that project implementation can be facilitated immediately. Alongside the scientific aspects, however, we would enable strong student cohesion through the incoming of Iranian students and the ongoing of Italian students who are working on Iranian archaeological materials from the University of Salento’s excavation at Shahr-i Sokhta. Likewise, the mobility of Iranian professors in Italy and that of Italian professors in Iran will be an important relevant aspect of teaching. The successful conclusion of Memorandum in 2022 at the highest university level among the recalled universities would allow the immediate activation of program and pursue the guidelines that the contracts pore out, including (1) the exchange of researchers, teaching staff, administrative staff and students within the norms of the respective countries; (2) the exchange of information, documentation and scientific publications; (3) the joint publications corresponding to the common interests of both the contracting universities; (4) the organization of international conferences, study meetings, seminars and courses on the themes envisaged by the agreement; (5) the exchange of teaching staff for short teaching periods; (6) the exchange of students from all faculties; (7) the exchange of university administration experience, especially concerning the organization of preparatory and training visits and for the training of academic and administrative staff; (8) the setting up of a I or II level Master degree or other post-graduate specialization courses.
This project also includes the organization of an exhibition that can address the issues present in the research group. The exhibition will have two locations, one in Tehran and one in Lecce, and will involve all participants. In conclusion, the program would have various forms of collaboration ranging from simply educational aspects, to those related to training, to participation in the numerous laboratories of the Department of Cultural Heritage (Laboratory of Ancient Topography and Photogrammetry, Laboratory of Archaeobotany and Paleoecology, Laboratory of Archaeozoology, and the Laboratory of Physical Anthropology), from those pertinent to the student’s intellectual growth in a foreign context and in line with the Department’s research, to participation in the excavations that the various Departments conduct. The exhibition is expected to be held at the end of 2023 and will allow the students involved to confront new experiences and problems related to the realization of an event in which the scientific part will be side by side with the organizational and exhibition part. This project, combined with the field excavation, didactic and laboratory training projects in which the students will be involved, will enable them to offer a broad and comprehensive training in the main tasks of an archaeologist.
This idea of collaboration follows the lines of the University’s Strategic Plan, aimed at implementing and developing synergistic relationships with an international context for both research and teaching aspects. Given the need to carry out and consolidate constructive comparisons with international institutions and research bodies, the Department of Cultural Heritage has paid special attention to the area of internationalization of educational activities and foreign relations related to research activities.
The development of the international dimension is framed among the strategic levers of the University of Salento and the Department of Cultural Heritage, committed precisely in the planning of short and long-term policies, and in a process of optimization of all academic areas related to this foreign profile.
In this perspective, specific objectives are related to increasing the international dimension of courses of study and doctoral programs, increasing incoming and outgoing mobility of students, doctoral students, faculty and technical-administrative staff. In order to facilitate the achievement of these objectives, several programmatic actions have been also identified in the Strategic Plan of University of Salento:
the promotion of new agreements with universities and research institutions;
the increase in the number of international courses of study and international doctorates;- increase out-going and in-coming mobility of students and doctoral students
increase out-going and in-coming mobility of faculty and researchers;
promotion of faculty mobility projects aimed at developing international courses and monitoring existing agreements;
revision of taxation systems with the introduction of a flat tax to facilitate the enrollment of foreign students;
the promotion of mobility projects for doctoral students;
the promotion of mobility projects for technical-administrative staff aimed at learning best practices at foreign universities and training/upgrading on activities closely related to the internationalization of the University;
the development of new content, the improvement of existing content and the promotion of accessibility and periodic updating of the English version of the Unisalento website, and in particular of the ‘International’ section, as the main tool for international marketing;
participation in dedicated national and international networks, networks and programs such as “Invest your Talent in Italy”, “Universities for Peace”, “Scholars at Risk”, etc.;
the active involvement of public institutions and businesses in the relationships that the University of Salento establishes with international universities and institutions; the organization of information days for faculty/PTA, students and doctoral students on the opportunities offered by Erasmus + projects.
Based on these strategies, the opening of new projects with major universities in the Islamic Republic of Iran appears crucial to the teaching and research policy of the Department of Cultural Heritage. In these perspectives, the implementation of the Salento4talents project targeting Iranian students can be considered an added and integrated value to other projects as for example the so-called KA 171 program in the next years.
Furthermore, our project follows years of continuous and close cooperation between the teaching of ‘Archaeology and History of Art of Ancient Near East’ and leading Universities in the Islamic Republic of Iran. We would like to recall below the agreements signed by the writer with the Islamic Republic of Iran:
2002-2011. Agreement with the National Museum of Iran for studying and publishing the Old- Elamite seals placed in the Museum Title of the project: “Cylinder Seals of 3rd Millennium BC in Iran”. Date of the agreement 29.01.2002.
2016-2020. Agreement with the Iranian Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization (= ICHTO) for studying the balance-weights collected in all Museums of Islamic Republic of Iran. Title of the project: “The Iranian Weighing System in the Bronze Age Period”. Date of Agreement: 12.11.2016.
2016-2026. Multidisciplinary International Archaeological Project at Shahr-i Sokhta (Sistan-va-Baluchistan). Iranian Center for Archaeological Research (= ICAR) and The Research Institute of the Cultural Heritage and Tourism of the Islamic Republic of Iran (= RICHT). Date of agreement: 22.12.2016.
Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Jiroft Date of agreement: 20.09.2022
Memorandum of Understanding with the Razi University (Kermanshah) Date of agreement: 20.09.2022
Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Zabol Date of agreement: 20.09.2022
Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Sistan and Baluchistan Date of agreement: 20.09.2022
The Memorandum signed by our Rector of the University of Salento with these Universities (see 4-7) are for:
exchange of researchers, teaching staff, administrative staff and students within the norms of the respective countries;
exchange of information, documentation and scientific publications;
joint publications corresponding to the common interests of both the contracting universities;
organization of international conferences, study meetings, seminars and courses on the themes envisaged by the agreement;
exchange of teaching staff for short teaching periods;
exchange of students from all faculties;
exchange of university administration experience, especially concerning the organization of preparatory and training visits and for the training of academic and administrative staff;
programmes aimed at issuing joint qualifications, recognised by both contracting universities, whichare compatible with the existing national laws and regulations and the norms of each of the contracting universities, on the basis of the present agreement;
setting up of a I or II level Master degree or other post-graduate specialization courses, with the issuing of a joint qualification which is compatible with each of the national norms and in accordance with the procedures agreed upon, to be defined by means of a specific executive deed;
etting up of research and/or innovation projects in any area of common interest to the contracting universities. 2022. Agreement with the National Museum of Iran in Tehran
- Conduct joint research projects
- Conduct joint conferences, seminars, symposia and workshops
- Exchange academic materials and publications
- Organize joint exhibitions (subject to signing separate contracts between the Parties)
- Exchange experts in the fields of scientific research, conservation, restoration, museology and archaeological sciences
- Organize training courses in the fields of museology, conservation, restoration.
- Cooperate in the field of laboratory studies
- Technical supports and supply the museum equipments
Date of agreement: 15.11.2022.
These agreements are well inserted in a wider picture concerning the history and archaeology of this strategic area (Near East and South Asia) as corroborated by other agreements signed by the writer:
1) 2011. Agreement with Syrian Tourism Ministry. Title of the Project: “Territorial enhancement and social-economical support to the Rural Communities of Ebla”. Fund from Italian Ministry of Foreigner Affair. Starting date: 07.01.2011.
2) 2018-2020. Agreement with the University of Pune for studying and publishing the Harappan weights from Kuntasi, Rakhigarhi and Farmana. Title of the project: “Indus Valley Civilisation and Central Asia: The Weighing System at Kuntasi, Rakhigarhi and Farmana”. Date of the agreement: 02.05.2018.
3) 2018-2020. Agreement with the University of Baroda for studying and publishing the Harappan weights from Nagwada, Bagasra, ageshwar and Shikarpur. Title of the project: “Indus Valley Civilisation and Central Asia: Nagwada, Bagasra, Nageshwar and Shikarpur”. Date of the agreement: 07.05.2018.
4) 2018-2020. Agreement with the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, for studying and publishing the Harappan weights from Mohenjo-daro, Harappa, Chanhu-daro, Lothal, Rojdi, Ranpur, Surkotada, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Banawali, Bhirrana. Date of the agreement: 28.05.2018.
5) 2020-2022. Agreement with the Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi, for studying and publishing the Harappan weights from Lothal, Banawali, Surkotada, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Banawali, Bhirrana. Date of the agreement: 25.02.2020.
This kind of collaboration would allow exponential growth for the entire group involved. As far as students and faculty are concerned, it would represent a unique opportunity to be able to work together in a stimulating academic environment united toward the achievement of common goals. The sharing of research laboratories, of materials from different archaeological excavations, the continuous exchange of ideas, and the spirit of collaboration will allow for the growth of the entire group within the international scientific and academic community by enabling scientific answers to the problems addressed by the project. In particular, only the creation of an organized group to achieve common goals (as in our proposal) will be able to answer historical questions that cannot be addressed individually, by individual research groups or excavation project. The answer to the long-standing unresolved historical questions would allow, for all participants in this project, to have a strong impact on the scientific and academic community and enable the professional growth of students and faculty.
We are convinced that this kind of expanded collaboration with Iran’s leading universities and their excavations could finally provide historical answers to the great mysteries of Iranian Bronze Age archaeology:
- What was the hierarchic settlement organization in the Iranian Highlands?
- What was the nature and origin of the Integrated Cultural Complex (ICS) in the Iranian plateau, Central and South Asia?
- What was the role of the main Iranian sites in the interactive dynamics among the main bordering regions (Oxus, Indus, Mesopotamia, Jiroft and Persian Gulf)?
- What were the main commercial trades in Mesopotamia, Iran, Central and South Asia during the end of the IV and the beginning of the II millennium BC?
- What were the socio-economic structures of Elam, Indus, Oxus, Jiroft and Hilmand civilizations?
- Was the social-political structure of some Iranian sites a heterarchy organization?
- Who were the different human groups living on the Iranian plateau from the end of IV to the beginning of the II millennium BC?
- What were the causes of the sudden and simultaneous disappearance of the 4 main civilizations (Hilmand, Oxus, Jiroft and Indus) of Middle Asia around 1800 BC?
Students, both outgoing and incoming, would benefit from this virtuous system of research and the achievement of the set goals. At the same time, they would have time to experience new context in a collaborative atmosphere that would facilitate their human and professional growth through knowledge of new methodologies, acquisition of new data, and daily comparison with their colleagues. At the end
of the program, each student and faculty member would return to his or her home country with a wealth of archaeological data and, most importantly, with the acquisition of new qualities pertinent to the ability to work collaboratively in an international context and in a shared environment that may allow him or her new future collaborations. There is no doubt, in fact, that the experiences gained can be a springboard for students when they are back in their own countries, and an opportunity for the building of new and future collaborations for faculty members, through which they can intensify relationships and the sharing of their professional experiences. In fact, this program is meant to be seen as a first step on which to implant a solid foundation for future research and scientific collaboration.
In addition, each university involved in the project would have strong advantages, both in terms of scientific research results, the quality of personnel involved in the mobility, and the activation of new future collaborations that may expand to other disciplinary fields in the future.
As far as the Department of Cultural Heritage is concerned, joining this program and implementing it, would meet the University’s strategic objectives in which so-called ‘internationalization’ plays a primary role. It is precisely the University of Salento’s belief that a university institution should generate on its hosting capacity a value. The goal is to create the conditions for our Department to be a concrete example of inclusiveness capable of attracting, without regional distinctions, all those who recognize themselves in this project and want to be part of it as students. The Department of Cultural Heritage has endowed itself with a cultural project capable of playing a function of orientation toward the international context, developing a networking activity both in Iran, contributing to create cohesion and convergence, and in the main countries of Middle East. Performing the function of cultural beacon in the Middle East area also means engaging in promoting innovation and creativity in its various forms, making the territory a cultural and creative hotbed capable of attracting resources and talent from other contexts. In a Department like ours, where knowledge of national and international significance is produced in the sciences and humanities, this goal is not only possible: it is an institutional duty aimed at building a better future.
Enrico Ascalone